December 14, 2017
FairCom DB’s Full-Text Search enables efficient database access to character-based data
Powerful new feature is one of many that enhances FairCom DB performance and usability
Note: c-treeACE became FairCom DB in November 2020.
We live in a data-driven world. Individual organizations collect copious amounts of data, most of which needs to be readily available for numerous tasks. And unless you have the right database tools in place, textual data searches can consume an unnecessary amount of time, effort and resources if you want to find what you are looking for. Speaking frankly, a database management system should always be improving the way it provides the ability for you to efficiently access the information you want or need.
FairCom DB V11.5 multimodel database software has a new feature, Full-Text Search, that allows users to reduce the amount of effort, time and resources needed to scour large amounts of textual data for information. Full-Text Search allows users to efficiently and quickly search specified text fields to find records containing specific words and phrases.
What makes this high-performing text capability work? … Full-Text Search allows you to define a Full-Text Index (FTI) over the text fields you specify. A Full-Text Index is similar to a standard c-tree index, except it is based on a tokenized list of words. After you specify which character-type fields to include in this search index, the FTI divides the text into “tokens” (which are roughly equivalent to a list of categorized words).
Full-Text Search is currently available for multiple APIs. The FairCom DB API(s) provides database developers with numerous functions, including but not limited to: creating the index, adding index fields, setting the default index, and Full-Text Index handle management. The API used maintains the index as records are added to the table.
This support occurs on a file-by-file basis (same as a typical c-tree index). After you define an FTI file, it is maintained in “real-time” along with any other c-tree indices. The end result is a search capability that allows users to quickly access data records through a simple process using API search functions.
In addition to the c-treeDB APIs, Full-Text Search is soon to be available via SQL. Once available, the SQL client will be able to define an Full-Text Index on one or more fields of an existing table, allowing you to use SQL to specify a query with criteria to be checked using the Full-Text Index.
What happens when you conduct a search? … You provide a word or phrase for which you are searching. Then, FairCom DB compares the search term(s) to the tokens in the Full-Text Search index and returns the records that contain those words in their indexed fields. FTS can also return additional information, such as the proximity of multiple tokens and statistics about relevance. It must be noted, though, that it is at the developer’s discretion as to how to utilize this result as needed for the application.
For nearly 40 years, FairCom has been producing reliable, high-performance database technology that meets the needs of our customers. FairCom DB V11.5 continues that tradition with Full-Text Search and other performance enhancements. You can access detailed information about Faircom DB V11.5’s Full-Text Search and the other performance-enhancing features available here.